The price of using vintage machines

[Artisan iron designs]

I hate mondays. My 13" south bend started to make grinding noises last week so I shut down my job (which was turning 25 damascus pens) and took off the head stock spindle today. I found a destroyed thrust bearing which is easy enough to fix. The hard part was when I found a groove ground into the top and bottem journels. now I have to do a complete tear down just to take the head stock off. that means remove the saddle, so I can take off the lead screw, so I can take off the quick change gear box, which will give me access to the bed mounts, and so on. to make matters worse i need to give my blanks to a fellow machine shop just to finish the order...it just doesn't pay to get out of bed some times.

 

[D.Oliver]

Sorry to hear about your luck.

 

[Charlie_W]

Bummer.....If I had a metal lathe I'd say come on over and knock it out.

 

[Dalecamino]

Taking these things apart and reassembling is NOT my ambition either. You have my sympathy :wink:

 

[Paul in OKC]

I hear ya. I am in the middle of rebuilding a South Bend heavy 10. Not want I wanted to do when I bought the lathe, but........It is not my thing, so I am surprised I have been patient enough to not just sell it and move on, after a year now, but when it's done...

 

[sbwertz]

If you were closer to Phoenix you could use my 9" South Bend.